c-section

[KIM10]

I am petrified of being awake when I have a c-section
So I am pushing for general instead does anyone have any experience with this please share

[DorotheaHomeAlone]

I have experience of being awake for a c section. It was absolutely fine. Not painful or uncomfortable even really. I just focused on my DH who was sat next to me and a few minutes later they held up a baby. Is there anything particular you're scared about? It would beck shame to kiss those first moments and the chance to have skin to skin.

[DorotheaHomeAlone]

Be a shame to miss. Stupid phone!

[NotSpartacus]

I've had both, and the one where I was awake was preferable.

It meant I got to meet my daughter much sooner, my husband was allowed in the room with me, I had a spinal so was in less pain than when I had the general, and the general had an interesting side effect of making me unable to pee aftewards so I had to have a catheter and wee bag for a couple of days. i think also the surgeon can take their time when you have a spinal, but with a general they try to really whip the baby out quickly (my midwife told me this).

[SmallBee]

Can you ask your consultant to talk you through it step by step? If might help assuage your fears. There are some really good ones out there.
It's a couple of years ago now but I did a lot of research on c sections as I might have needed one and I was very keen not to go under general. There were a lot of stories about mothers struggling to bond because they weren't conscious for the birth.
If you have a planned section then you can really take control of it, some places will allow your choice of music, lighting, scented candles etc so it doesn't need to be this cold, clinical process.
Whatever you do choose congratulations on your pregnancy and good luck with the birth

[MrsBenWyatt]

I have done both (plus a VB, too ). As NotSpartacus said, the section without general anaesthetic was preferable.

The GA can affect baby, so they need to get them out quickly. You can't have a partner in with you and you don't get to meet your baby as soon as you would if you'd had a local. Also, I felt really wobbly after the GA, so even when I met DS1, I wasn't particularly interested for a while! I was also very sick afterwards.

The only person I know who got to opt to have a GA was a friend who had back problems and wanted to avoid a spinal.

It is very strange being awake and I was absolutely dreading it, but it wasn't awful and I'd do it again if I had to. For me, the worst bit was all the prep (canula etc) which you'd have to have anyway before they put you to sleep.

[KIM10]

Wow thank you ladies for the advice I don't want to be awake because I have fear of having metal and persons hand inside of my body and pressure pulling sensations it's related to Post traumatic stress disorder but I don't want to miss seeing my baby but having flashbacks panic attack while being operated on and baby being born does feel good I guess I don't want to tarnish my first meeting with baby with my past but I have meeting with first steps to hopefully help me with what to do

[JizzyStradlin]

Can you access any support for your PTSD? General is quite a bit more risky than local, so ideally you'd be able to get to the point where you didn't feel forced to do it for psychological reasons. Have you had a section before? Just wondering if your fear is related to previous birth experiences.

[Micah]

Arrange a meeting with you m/w or consultant.

They may be able to give you something to calm you down, or sedate you, that is safer than going the whole ga hog.

Id do anything to avoid a ga myself, hate that feeling of being put to sleep, and the struggling to wake up. A spinal is no picnic but i prefer to be awake and in some sort of control.